Ninoy Aquino Day – August 21, 2010

The Philippines –Ninoy Aquino Day

August 21, 2010

Ninoy Aquino Day is a national non-working holiday in the Philippines observed annually on August 21, commemorating the anniversary of the 1983 assassination of former Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, Jr..

He was the husband of Corazon Aquino, who was later to become Philippine President; they are treated as two of the heroes of democracy in the country. His assassination led to the downfall of Ferdinand Marcos on February 25, 1986, through the People Power Revolution.

In 2004, the commemoration ceremony for the holiday was held and events were attended by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Fidel V. Ramos.

Unlike other dates reserved for national heroes of the Philippines (like Bonifacio Day, Rizal Day, Araw ng Kagitingan, and of course, National Heroes Day), the date is not a “regular holiday” but only a “non-working holiday”, it is often affected by Arroyo’s policy of “holiday economics”, a policy of moving the date of a non-working holiday to the closest Saturday. This has led some, including Senator Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel, Jr., to criticize the policy since it does not give enough honor and respect to Aquino.

In 2009, after Corazon Aquino died, Arroyo ordered that a memorial to her be built.